Equality plans at spanish universities. current situation and future goals

Abstract

The adoption of Organic Law 3/2007, as well as the different regulations derived from the same, was decisive for the institutionalization of equality policies at Spanish universities, establishing, as a mandatory rule, the creation of Equality Units and the implementation of Equality Plans as the main tool for the development of equality actions at Spanish universities. However, despite the different regulations and actions undertaken to achieve equality between women and men in the scientific and academic fields, gender inequality continues to be present in Spanish universities. More than ten years after the adoption of the mentioned law, it becomes fundamental to evaluate the effectiveness of the initiatives promoted. This paper analyses the existing Equality Plans at Spanish Universities with the aim of evaluating their effectiveness. To do so, a methodological strategy that combines the use of quantitative techniques with the analysis of the plans and academic interviews with those responsible for the equality structures has been designed. The results suggest that, after a decade of development of equality policies, Spanish Universities have taken strong and decisive actions aimed at gender equality. However, those initiatives present some shortcomings, especially regarding the characteristics of their implementation and the great rigidity that characterizes university structures, which continues to show strong resistance to a structural and institutional change in keeping with equality.